The Monster
by Alice Starr
Summary: Lex is declared crazy and thrown into a mental hospital. Will she become like one of the zombies she fears? Will she escape? Will she ever get home to her parents? But most importantly, will she be able to rid herself of The Monster?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Trapped In Her Mind

"I don't belong here."

Lex had her eyes squeezed shut tight. A warm breath of the air brushed across her cold lips, which she quickly bit down on, feeling the skin squeeze under the strength of her jaw. She had curled herself into a ball on the bed, her long arms wrapped around her knees. Locking her fingers together tightly, she pulled them close to her chest. Her head fell against the bed rails behind her, digging into her neck and making the position uncomfortable. Despite this, Lex refused to move. She refused to move because she refused all this to exist. She refused to be where she was.

And if she kept her eyes closed, maybe it would disappear.

In her mind, she opened her eyes. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around her knees, but as she gazed upon her new location she felt her body relax. She took a deep breath as her shoulders dropped, her arms unlocking from their stiff position. Around her, she felt the groves of the tree bark support into her back, much more comfortable than the bed rails were.Her toes uncurled themselves, then dug into the ground, feeling the cool texture of the wet dirt and grass between them. She looked out at the forest surrounding her. The trees were knitted tightly together; an endless wave of thick trunks. Lex's eyes followed up the winding bark in front of her and up to the sky. Bright green leaves layered themselves over one another, making it almost impossible to see what she knew to be a cool, pastel sky. A breeze swept through the forest, twirling leaves melodically into the air. Lex smiled, pulling herself to her feet. Her bones creaked throughout her entire body as she moved, as if she had been sitting against the tree for years. She started to journey through the forest. Twigs and thorns dug into the soft skin of her feet, but this didn't bother her. She walked in a never ending path through the trees, the scenery surrounding her appearing not to change. It was like there was no end to the forest; a continuous loop of the same trees over and over.

Lex decided she wouldn't mind being trapped here forever.

Very slowly, the sun sank in the sky. Already, the sun had found it difficult to peek through the thick leaves and crowded trunks, but now it was down right impossible. Darkness filled the forest, causing Lex to strain her eyes in order to see where she was going. It never occurred to her to stop walking and rest, or to find some place to sleep. She wanted to walk forever, and even if she didn't care to, she doubted she would be able to stop. It was like she was in a trance; her legs moving without her telling them to, as if controlling themselves. It was as if the forest was controlling her, deep vines hanging from tree tops attached to her limbs, moving her like a marionette.

The forest seemed to now be alive with sounds. During the day, of course, there were sounds as well. Leaves tumbling, birds chirping peacefully. Now, the sounds of midnight creatures cut through the darkness to find Lex's ears. The sound crinkled and creaked, sending shivers spiralling up and down her spine.

She heard a whoosh through the trees. She froze in place, not daring to breathe. As her ears strained, the creatures of the dark silenced, as if they knew she was listening. Lex knew it wasn't simply a night creature that had made the terrifying sounds. She had her those sounds millions of times before.

The Monster.

The Monster has been in everyone of Lex's dreams since she could remember. It never struck at her, tortured her, or even touched her. She always woke up before that.

She had done all she could to rid herself of The Monster, but it was waiting for her every time she closed her eyes. Every night as Lex returned to her bed, The Monster was there to terrify her the same way it had when she was only a child. Lex had tried convincing herself that The Monster wasn't real, like her mother had always suggested, but it was no use.

She pushed through the forest as the sounds resumed. She heard The Monster moving swiftly closer to her. After a long time of listening to its sickeningly close movements, Lex couldn't keep her calm facade. She broke into a run, pushing her body through the forest, not bothering to worry about where she was going. She didn't care, as long as it was far away from The Monster. She willed her legs to move faster, but soon they began to move too fast. She tripped and fell into a tangled mess on the ground. Lying on the ground, her limbs a sprawled mess about her, Lex felt defeat. She no longer had the energy to run; she couldn't even crawl. She signed her fate, realizing that she was going to die. Her heart pounded in fear, loudly booming in her ears. She could no longer hear the mischievous night creatures over her heart. Lex's hands flew to her head, trying to block out the terrifying sounds of death. Her heart continued to beat faster and faster, like a train nearing the crash. She don't know what inside her head thought it would be a good idea to open her eyes, but she looked up to see the familiar foe looming over her. She saw its dark, swirling clouds. They seemed to move close to surround her in entirety. All Lex could see was the black grasp of the Monster. The only relief from the dark was the Monsters white, hollow, pitiful eyes.

As the Monster neared, Lex's closed her eyes and screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Grey People

Her shrill screams rang through her ears. Her arms raised in front of herself protectively, Lex waited for The Monster to come for her, to jump on her, to claw at her, but nothing happened. Like always. Her screams dying out, Lex opened an eye and realized she wasn't in the forest anymore. Instead, bright white surrounded her. Her shoulders dropped from their tense, protective position and she opened the other eye. She closed her open mouth and looked around, seeing she was only in her room. She sighed, shutting her eyes and her body falling back against the bed rails. She doubted anyone would respond to her cries; screams were something of the norm around here. With silent hope, she strained her ears, listening for hurried footsteps down the hallway to come to her rescue.

They never came.

She sighed again, swinging her legs of the bed and onto the ground. Her bare feet padded against the cold floor as she walked over to the wall. She ran her fingers over the rough surface, small pricks of paint digging into her finger tips. Probably a quick paint job. The people around here didn't really care about making things pretty.

She looked around the room, eyes gazing over the walls that matched this one exactly, except for the one across from her bed that had a window. The bed was the lone furniture in the room, making it look odd and out of place.

Lex walked over to the single window and pulled herself up to sit on it. She pulled her legs up to rest opposite her, pressing her back across the wooden frame. Her head fell against the window, the cool glass against her cheek. Lex's eyes travelled to outside. She couldn't see anything through the window on account of it being blurry. The glass was thick and swirled. _So someone can't break it and escape_ She thought to herself. _But they wouldn't put bars on here. Why make us feel more like prisoners? _

Lex heard the door open. She spun her head towards the sound, throwing herself off the window frame. Her hands were balled into fists at her side, her eyes wide. The man froze in the doorway, hand still grasping the handle tightly. He then smiled brightly, removing his hand and said "Hello Alexa."

She narrowed her eyes, trying to make it not so apparent that she was studying him. He looked to be in his late 40's, with brown hair that was decorated with few silver streaks. He had worry lines around his mouth and eyes, probably from living at such a stressful job. He wore a long white coat and had a clip board in his hand. On his lapel there was a small name tag that Lex couldn't make out from this distance. "Hello. Who are you?" She spat out with strange tenseness that shocked herself. She shook her head, taking a step towards him.

He smiled kindly, not taken back by her aggressiveness. "My name is Doctor Hellner." He stopped, looked at her and chuckled. "That sounds too formal, you can call me Eric." He stuck out his hand to her but she didn't take it, instead she looked at it, then back at him with an eye brow raised high on her forehead. He nodded and took his hand away, then looked at the clip board quickly. He motioned her to sit on the bed before placing the clip board on the pillow. Lex walked over to him warily, still not liking the look of him. She sat on the foot on the bed, as far away from him as she could. He noticed this, but did not make an attempt to move closer to her. He slowly nodded in acknowledgement to her and she smiled awkwardly back, blushing.

"How was your first day so far?" He asked, too cheerily.

"Oh exciting." Lex said dryly, twisting her mouth into a grimace. "Anything to eat around here doc?" She asked, her mouth moving into a smile, her mind on her growling stomach. She hadn't eaten anything since breakfast.

_Breakfast._ Her mind repeated, images flooding quickly flooding into her brain. She quickly dismissed them.

Doctor Hellner chuckled. "Dinner's soon. Now." He said, taking the clip board back in his hands. He flipped a page, studied it, then looked back to her. "You've been having nightmares?" He said, his voice maintaining a cool, calm appeal.

"How did you-" She started, taken back by his sudden question.

He held up his hand to stop her. "We have ways of finding out information here, Alexa." He smiled. Her stomach twisted in uncertainty, and she again took a disliking to the doctor. "These nightmares are very vivid, is that right?"

She looked away from him, studying the wall opposite her. It was white like the rest of them, but instead of looking at his peering features she preferred to look to the calming white wall. She felt she owed him an answer, so she said, "Yes" very quietly. Then, she looked back to him, a pained expression on her face. "Is there something wrong with me?" She asked, not feeling like there was for the first time. Her nightmares had bothered her for years, and they have only been getting worse.

"Absolutely not." He said automatically, as if a scripted response. "It's very common in a place like this. We even have medicine to treat it. Here." He produced a small, orange bottle from one of his pockets and held it up for her to see. She moved closer to him, still sitting in the bed, but moved by her curiosity. She took the bottle in her hands, turning it and hearing the clank of the pills hitting the opposite side as she did so. "It puts you into a deep sleep." He was saying. "Just take one of these before bed and you will be fine." Lex nodded to acknowledge him but couldn't pry her eyes away from the pills. There was something strange about them, they made Lex stomach churn with uneasiness. _If they help, then I don't care. _Lex thought to herself, leaning across the bed and pushing the bottle under her pillow.

"Oh look at the time," Doctor Hellner said. "Dinner already. Come on, I'll show you to the cafeteria."

She shot him a polite smile and stood up. He nodded, spinning on his heels and walking into the hallway. Lex followed him, studying the hallway as she entered it for the first time. She couldn't remember walking to her room, driving to this place. She just woke up there. And there was a doctor beside her bed to explain why she was there. It was odd, the whole mess of it. Either way, the hallway was over whelming, and not just because she was seeing it for the first time. It felt like a high school hallway, minus the lockers. Doors were beginning to open; tall, lanky people spilling out that all looked and dressed the same. They all had an awkward appearance; they didn't seem to acknowledge the people around them. Their faces stayed expressionless as they slowly slid towards the two large double doors that led to the cafeteria. They wore a mixture of grey clothing, but all exactly the same. I guess white was too mainstream.

Lex stood close to the doctors back. Though she didn't like him, she liked the grey people less and didn't want to get lost in the swarm of them. Thankfully, they too were soon paraded through the double doors into the large, echoing cafeteria. Immediately, she grew very nervous about the amount of people quickly hustling around her. Feeling her breath catch in her throat, Lex took a step back, bumping into someone as she was still standing in the doorway. The person looked down at her, shooting her a glare as they moved around her. She blushed, looking away as other people began to look at her in curiosity. She felt someone tugging her shoulder, out of the doorway and away from the crowd of people. It was the doctor, pulling her to the side where not so many people were. He had her shoulder grasped tightly and spun her to face him, his face pressed close to hers. He smiled widely, awkwardly and said. "Just get in line for some food and try to sit with someone that looks nice." He noticed her nervous expression and smiled understandably. "Don't worry." He said, trying to make it as sincere as possible. She showed him a small nod before he smiled and let go of her shoulder, quickly walking away and disappearing into the crowd of grey.

She quickly got in line before her mind could begin to process what was happening. She just needed something to distract her, before she began to worry. She picked up a tray, which was ironically grey and matched all in the room. She walked slowly behind the thin line of people, feeling like the only alive on there. They all stood tall and straight, not taking to each other much or looking around. They starred ahead and followed each other as ordered, not even nodding a smile at the lady who plopped food on their plate. When Lex did so, the lady shot her a snarl, and Lex realized why none of the other people made had contact with her.

The tables that were decorating the length of the room were filling up quickly. There were a few by the door that were small, sitting only two of three people. Thankful one of them was empty, Ariel rushed towards it before it was taken and she would have to sit with one of the grey people. As she slid into her chair she smiled and let out a small breath, relaxing a bit. _As long as no one comes to talk to me, I'm fine. _She thought to herself as she picked up the small, silver fork. She studied her food, poking it. Surprisingly, it didn't move or growl at her, so that was a relief. Still, it didn't look very appetizing. Her churning stomach agreed with her, so she pushed the place a little farther from her into the middle of the table. She took the plastic glass in her hands, studying the strange liquid inside. She took a small sip, found it was half-decent, then took another. She wound both of her hands around the glass and put it on her lap, staring down into the swirling liquid.

A "Hello" was heard. Lex looked up from her glass to see that sitting across from her was a boy. He had ruffled brown hair and five freckles on each side of his nose. He wore a cheery grin, much unlike the others around here. Beneath his grin, you could see a hint of pearly white teeth. His eyes were green, but not just a normal green. No, his eyes were sparkly, light green, like freshly grown grass in the summer time. Gold speaks decorated them near the middle, making them look enchanting, like the sun.

"Hello?" He asked, now wearing an uncertain smile. She didn't realize she had been staring, but his voice shook her back to reality. It was warm and smooth, like melted chocolate.

"H-hello." She spat out. She blushed immediately, breaking away from his gaze. Boys never talked to her, unless they had come to make fun of her. Realizing that this was what this boy was going to do, she sat up straight in her chair, looking back at him with a stone cold appearance. "Hello." She said again, regarding him with mild interest.

He smiled again, not noticing her tenseness. She looked at his smile, which seemed to melt away her facade, but she quickly brought it back. He pointed to her clothes, looking at her with an odd expression. "You're new." He stated.

"What?" She growled, moving away from his pointed hand.

"Look around." He said, and she found herself doing so. "We're all wearing the same here, and you're not, so you must be new." He explained as Lex looked around at the swarm of people. Most had turned to look at them, pointing and whispering in hushed voices as they passed by. "And it's making you stick out like a sore thumb." He added, chuckling. Lex felt the millions of eyes peer at her and she wrapped her arms around her body, trying to cover up her clothes some how. She looked back to find him still smiling wickedly at her.

"Were you whispering about me too?" She growled.

He laughed, shaking his head and leaning back in his chair. "No." She wondered why he was so immune to her harshness, he never seemed to react. Maybe he was just playing her.

"Then why are you talking to me?" She wondered, raising an eye brow.

He shrugged, frowning and looking away from her. "You're new. And interesting. Not much interesting 'round here." His grin returned as he sat up to face her again. "And to be honest, you're sitting in my seat."

"Sorry." She said instantly, but not really apologizing- she didn't make an effort to move. "Why would you sit here all alone and not with one of your friends over at the big tables?" She asked, motioning to the long tables. They had crowded people pushed together on the small benches.

"Maybe I like sitting alone." Lex saw a hint of sadness in his eyes that was quickly gone as he sat up in his chair. He pushed his hand towards hers. "Name's Dallon Miller. And you are?"

She eyed his hand nervously, her arms still wrapped around her chest tightly. "Alexa." She said. "Lex." She corrected herself, smiling for the first time. A second later she took his hand. It was soft and warm, and he shook their hands wildly. "Nice to meetcha, Lex." He took his hand away, leaving Lex's feeling more empty than before. She placed it on her lap, her other hand unwinding from around her chest to accompany it. She watched as Dallon grabbed his fork and shovel food into his mouth.

"That's disgusting." She stated, shifting in her seat uncomfortably.

He shrugged. "Not as bad as it looks." He laughed at her appalled expression. "Go ahead, try it." he pushed more food into his mouth as he watched her eagerly.

She slid a small bite onto her fork. She closed her eyes tightly as she put it in her mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly. Realizing he was right, she took another bite, her stomach now growling with hunger.

He laughed. "See?" He took a large gulp of the drink. "So whatcha in for?" He said, putting his fork down to look at her.

She quickly realizing what he meant. She placed her fork beside her plate, placing her hands back on her lap. She looked down at them, but could still feel his eyes on her as she ignored his question. "Nothing." She said quickly, falling back into her seat but still not looking at her. She gazed up at him, seeing that he was now looking away and staring off into space. "You?" She asked, slightly curious but not thinking he would tell her.

Her suspicion was correct. "Nothin'." He said shortly. Lex nodded, and that was that. They both continued to eat their food in silence, awkward tension now hanging in the air. Around them, people were beginning to finish and place the grey trays back on the pile, then slowly walking out into the hallway. Not near done, Lex ate slowly, her head down. She managed to sneak a look over at Dallon, who had his head down facing his lap. Suddenly, his face broke into a huge grin. Thinking that he had caught her looking she quickly looked away, scarlet decorating her cheeks.

"Lex?" She heard, so she looked over to him cautiously. Dallon's face was painted with a mischievous grin that made her quite uneasy. "Yes?" She said quietly. He motioned for her to come closer. She leaned forward as he looked from side to side to see if there was anyone looking at them. He then leaned close to her, his warm breath on her ear as he whispered, "Lex, I want to show you something. Tonight. Follow my lead."

Before she could react to what he was saying, he had spilled her drink all over her shirt. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" He said loudly, standing as people turned to face them. "Here, let me help you." People lost interest and continued to go on walking out the door or finishing up their dinner. Dallon already had a napkin held tightly in his hand. He patted her shirt lightly, not really fixing the spill at all. Ariel noticed that there was something hidden in the napkin, and she looked up at him. He continued patting her shirt aimlessly as they stared at each other, his face very close to hers as he did so. She didn't dare breathe. He felt his hand roughly push the napkin into hers and close her fingers tightly around it. His hand grasped hers, still looking at her. He nodded slowly, then picked up his tray and walked away, following the people who were now exiting the double doors. He blended in with the grey people, and soon, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Zombie

Without looking at it, Lex shoved the napkin into her pocket. There was defiantly something hidden in it, she could feel the hard surface resist some as she pushed it into her jeans. Disregarding it for the moment, she grabbed her glass and gulped down the rest of her drink as she stood. She wasn't sure why, but she felt her entire body shaking slightly. She felt like she was doing something very, very wrong, something that would get in trouble if caught. Her silver ware clanged together as she picked up her plates and started towards the line of people lining up to dispose of them. She focused on her fingers, taking a deep breath and willing them to be still. She heard the clanging cease, so she followed to the line and quickly got rid of her tray and plates.

She walked with the crowd of people into the hallway; feeling her legs move as if on their own. She was swept up by the grey people and placed in the middle of the sea. Despite the people pushing past her, she felt like a fish out of water. She spun around, feeling lost and alone, not knowing where to go, how to escape the mess of people so she could once again breathe. Then, her brain kicked in and she remembered which way her room was. Once again, she was swept up by the current, spiralling quickly by the waves and not feeling in control of her own limbs.

In finally seeing her door, she allowed herself to by thrown from the sea of grey and into the room. She grasped the door knob tightly and slammed the door, making the sounds of hurried feet now muffled in the distance. She stood there for a while, her shoulder braced against the door, afraid that if she let go, the sea of grey would break in the room and take hold of her again.

Slowly, the sounds of the sea died out, and all that was heard was the constant hum of the over-hanging lights in the hallway and her own room. She closed her eyes, falling against and sliding down the door frame. She felt the groves of the door frame dig into her shoulders, the hum of the lights continuing to ring softly through her ears. Alone with her thoughts at last, Lex was glad she had time to reflect on all that had happened in the short span of only an hour. She thought of the grey people, their costumes seemingly matching who they had now become against their own will. Once probably full of life, now they were emotionless and dead. They roamed through their daily routine; get up, eat, sleep and then all over again. They grey people were forever trapped in the place that was only supposed to help them, but instead numbed their senses. Their only escape from the prison was at night, their nightmares that haunted them on the things they have done to wind up here in the first place. Lex's stomach twisted, the dark corner of her mind whispering eagerly at her, "Y_ou're going to become just like them, you know. Soon, you won't even remember what if feels like to be normal. You wont remember your own name, or who you were before. You will only know what they have forced you to believe, and what you have become." _

"No." She said aloud sharply, contradicting herself. "No. Because you don't belong here."

_"Just keep telling yourself that." _Her mind whispered back at her, then fell silent.

Sighing, she opened her eyes and stood to her feet, grasping the door handle tightly to steady herself. Her eyes found her bed, still the lone furniture in the room. Upon the tightly pressed blankets was a pile of clothes. With the pit in her stomach returning, she walked of the bed and picked them up. The grey fabric of the sweatshirt was soft, along with the shirt and pants. The matching grey pajama's were thin and silky, a glossy feel under the touch of Lex's fingertips. Despite the comforting feel of the clothes, the worry once again entered her mind; the fear of losing herself and becoming like one of the grey people becoming all the more real. Not wanting to worry about it further, Lex quickly piled the clothes together and pushed them under her bed, her fears and the pit in her stomach going with it.

Feeling only slightly better, Lex sighed and fell onto her bed, closing her eyes before her head even drowned in the pillows. She felt the sheets comfortably surround her entire body. She pushed her head deeper into the pillows, begging the suffocating fabric to ease the worries and take her away from the prison. She then sat up as her head hit something hard. Knowing what it was by the sounds as she yanked it from under the pillow, she studied the small, orange pill bottle that Doctor Hellner had given her. Had it only been an hour ago? Studying the orange bottle, she felt her stomach twist, but Lex just assumed it was because she was never fond of medication, so she put the pills back under her pillow and left to find some water to take them with. She figured she could probably get some in the kitchen she saw in the cafeteria.

Walking back into the hallway still seemed frightening, even though it was now empty. She walked quickly down the hall, feeling out in the open and vulnerable; as if people were watching her from behind the closed doors. She was alone in the hallway. Not even the doctors roamed silently. She reached the double doors of the cafeteria, immediately pushing on them to slid inside. She closed the door carefully, as not to make an echoing noise throughout the large, empty room. To the right of the doors was the line heading up to empty food bins, now wiped clean of existing food. Beside the line was a blue door marked 'Kitchen'.

She pressed her ear to the door, hearing muffled voices behind it. Cautiously, she pushed the door open a crack, her eye peering in to inspect the location. She saw the room was divided by a wall, the people who the voices belonged too behind it. Lex walked inside, again closing the door carefully as not to alert the people on the other side of the wall. By the lack of people travelling through the usually traffic-filed halls, she got the feeling she was not supposed to be out of her room at this time. To get anywhere, she would have to do it quietly and quickly.

She studied the room she was in, looking among the ovens and other kitchen faculties that crowded the room. There was no sign of a fridge, dishes, or even a sink for water. It was most likely on the other side of the wall. As she moved throughout the room away from the door, she saw her suspicion was correct. In the other room, she could see an array of gleaming sinks, above it blue cupboards, probably filled with dishes, bowls and glasses. She started towards it, but stopped at hearing the sounds of suddenly raised voices. Only now did her curiosity strike her to listen to the them. Allowing herself to inch closer, she now saw the scene. She realized that there was only one voice, a woman yelling threats. The woman had her back to Lex. She saw that she was wearing a fitted, grey uniform, much like the rest of the people here. She held a broom in one hand, her other hand placed angrily on her hip.

Only then did Lex see why she was yelling.

Up against the wall sat a little boy. He looked to be about eight or nine, and had thick, ruffled brown hair. His skin was pale, giving him the appearance that he hadn't seen the sun in ages. His lips were pursed shut, along with his eyes. His knees were brought up to his chest and his hands were pressing against the side of his head, shutting out his ears from the sounds of the woman's threats.

The woman continued to loom over him and scream. "Get out of my way kid, I have to sweep there!" Despite her howls, the child refused to move; he didn't even seem to acknowledge her presence. "God dammit, _move _you ZOMBIE!" she snarled the insult, swooping down to take hold of his arm tightly. As soon as her skin came into contact with his, his eyes shot open. The sight of his eyes shook Lex, leaving her skin crawling with goosebumps. His eyes seemed to be pure white, and they stared, unblinking, seemingly right at her.

His mouth opened, letting out a shrill screech. It held as he turned to the woman. She immediately let go of his arm, but the screaming did not cease. She fell backwards, scrambling to get away from the boy as he stood to his feet. His white eyes still had not closed, nor his howling mouth. He walked over to the woman, leaning over her and continuing to scream. Her eyes shut with fear, her shaking hands scrambling around for something on her wrist. It was a sort of thick, metal band, and when she pressed down on it, alarms sounded throughout the building. The woman then pressed her hands over her ears, trying to block out the screams of the boy who leaned over her; a murderous look of fury across his features. Soon, four men in grey uniforms burst through the kitchen door. Lex knelt and pressed herself into the corner between the wall and the oven, praying the men wouldn't notice her. Thankfully, they seemed to be too focused on the boy and the woman. Lex edged closer into the next room to watch as one man ran towards the boy, seizing his shoulders and dragging him roughly away from the sobbing woman on the ground. The boy didn't seem to notice this, and continued to wordlessly scream at her. As two more men knelt to comfort the woman, one pressing on her metal clasp to cut the alarm, the fourth man walked slowly over to where the first man was. He was struggling to get the attention to the boy, roughly trying to twist his face away from the weeping woman. The boy held firmly, not moving an inch by the clearly strong man. Out of no where, the fourth man produced a large, thin needle, filled with a silver substance. Without a moments hesitation, the man stuck it into the boys neck, thumb pressing down hard on the lever to inject the liquid into his veins. The boys mouth fell shut, his screams ending abruptly. His eyes closed, his entire body going limp and falling into the arms of the men. They set him carefully on the ground, then joined the other two men who were picking up the sniffling woman. They said a few hushed words to her before she nodded and walked from the room, one man guiding her out the door by the arm.

Almost as soon as the woman and the man left, another man entered. He walked with his head up, the stride of a man who was either respected or feared, _or both. _Upon his head, he had a few short, greying hairs. He held a clip board by his side, his fingers clutching it tightly like a weapon.

Doctor Hellner nodded at the three men who were left standing in the room with the boy. He knelt to his knees, his free hand reaching out to touch the boys face. His fingers pressed roughly down on the side of it as he turned it to the side, examining the small prick the needle had left on his neck. He regarded it with mild interest before looking back up to the two men. He stood, frowning slightly and clicking a pen he produced from his pocket. He scribbled some things on his clip board.

"Up his dosage." Lex heard him say, ripping the paper from his clip board and handing it to one of the two men. Lex stood, her eyes fixated on the doorway. She backed towards the cafeteria door as quickly as she could, knowing if Dr. Hellner saw her witnessing the event with the little boy, she would be in trouble for sure. Maybe they would even stick a needle in _her _neck. Her back hitting the door, she spun out of the room as quickly as she could, this time not caring about being quiet. With a wince, she heard the door slam loudly behind her, but she disregarded it. In front of her, she saw the large double doors to the cafeteria; her escape. She sprinted towards them, but froze as she heard "Alexa?"

She didn't dare breathe. She turned slowly on her heels, looking over at the person who had said her name. Her stomach twisted and the hair on the back of her neck stood up as she looked over Dr. Hellner with an embarrassed smile. He always had a calm, cheery expression that set Lex's teeth on edge.

"Alexa?" He asked again flatly, cocking his head to the side, as if he didn't believe it was really her. He didn't seem to give off an angry presence of her being there, not suspecting she had seen the incident with the little boy.

"What's up, doc?" she asked, choking back a stutter in her voice. She slid her hands casually into the pockets of her jeans, her fingers colliding with the crumpled napkin Dallon had given her. Her heart jumped; she had completely forgotten about it. She smiled warily at Doctor Hellner, surprised to see him still studying her.

"Alexa." He said for the third time, but this time in a condescending tone. "You shouldn't be out of your room at this time. What are you doing here?" he narrowed his eyes, awaiting her response.

"Just getting some water to take my pills with." she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. It wasn't really a lie; it _was _what she had come to do in the first place.

He continued to study her, making Lex more nervous. "I figured as much. I went to your room to see if you wanted any, but you were missing. That's why the alarm sounded. There are people looking all over for you." A lie. If he did go to her room, then how did he beat her to the cafeteria? He was trying to see if she would let something slip which would confirm his suspicion: that she had witnessed the 'zombie' incident.

"Oh, I'm _terribly_ sorry." she said, trying to make it sound as genuine as possible. "Do you mind getting me that water now?" she asked. They were just toying with each other now. She knew he couldn't bring her back into the kitchen; the guards had not yet removed the boy. She didn't see any other exits in the kitchen, so the only way out would be through the door and passed them. Which meant they were still in there. He couldn't bring her back into the kitchen, she thought, masking her proud smile.

"Sure." he said pleasantly, walking over to the door and holding it open for her. He was onto her. Confidently, she nodded and straitened her shoulders, walking back into the kitchen. He followed her, closing the door behind them. They walked slowly through the kitchen, both eyes preying on the doorway between the walls where they both knew the men and the boy were. She had him cornered, and he would have to provide an explanation as to what happened. She just hoped his feverish little mind was quickly struggling to work up reasonable explanations to the zombie-boy.

Finally, she walked into the room where it had happened. She stopped in her tracks, her confident grin sweeping off her face as she looked through the empty room with shock. There was no boy and no guards, which was impossible because there was no other exit. Lex's head swept around, searching for any place where they could be hiding, but finding none. They had seemingly vanished.

Doctor Hellner walked around her, a confused expression painting his features. "Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned. Lex saw a flash of a confident smile, but it was gone quickly. Doctor Hellner had won the battle, but defiantly not the war.

"Yes." she managed. Her eyes still sweeping the kitchen for exits, she didn't notice Dr. Hellner walk over to the sink. She felt a cold glass being pushed into her hands. Lex looked down at it, puzzled, as the cool condensation ran over her fingers. She smiled weakly up at Doctor Hellner, then followed him silently out of the kitchen.

He's won and he knows it, and she is just left feeling uneasy about the whole thing. She wants explanations. Not many pass them. A few doctors nod politely at Doctor Hellner, then avoid making eye contact with Lex.

After what seems like the longest walk, they are back in the bedroom. Lex immediately notices the bed is no longer the lone furniture in the room. Next to it is a small, wooden side table. On it is a tiny, black digital alarm clock. Red flashing numbers read 10:42.

Humming softly, Lex sets her glass on the new side table and sits on the bed. She looks over at Doctor Hellner, who is still standing in the doorway. He is looking into the room, but his eyes seemed to be unfocused; clearly his mind is somewhere else. She leaves him be, not pressing him to talk, and studies his face as he stares in silence. Is it possible he has more wrinkles than before? She notices his brow begin to furrow, as wonders if he is finally going to provide an explanation to the previous events, and is just figuring out how to word it.

She clears her throat, coughing discretely into her balled hand. He blinks, then looks at her in confusion. He mutters an apology under his breath, looking swiftly at his clip board. His pen points over to the alarm clock, still blinking red letters. His mouth opens to say something, but then he re-words it in his head and the mouth closes again. Finally, he speaks. "That clock is set to go off at eight, breakfast is at eight thirty. You will be required to wear those tomorrow," he says, pointing to the piled grey clothes under the bed. The incident in the kitchen has wiped Lex's mind clean of the grey people, but now the fear came back all too quickly.

He sets the clip board at his side, looking over at her. He looks as if he is going to say something more, but instead shoots her a quick smile. He spins into the now darkened hallway, free hand clutching the door knob. Only the corner of his mouth slides up into a shy smile before he softly says. "Goodnight, Alexa." He adds, "Sweet dreams." Before closing the door behind him.

Shaking her head at the doctors strange behaviour, Lex reaches under her pillow and pulls out the pill bottle. She quickly releases the cap and pours a handful of pills into her hands. Her mind flashes quickly of what she could do with a handful of pills. A dark demon smiling inside of her, Lex pushes the thought as far back in her mind as possible, the idea itself scaring her. She pours the pills back in the bottle, leaving one in her hand. She grabs the glass and takes the pill, feeling the cool water run down her throat. She shakes her head, placing the half empty glass back on the stand, sliding the ring of water the cool condensation created on the wooden surface. She chuckles to herself, standing up and looking under the bed at the pile of clothes. Sighing and regretting it, she pulls out the pajamas and slides them on. As she folds out her jeans into a neat pile, her hand runs across the pocket, feeling the ripple from under it. Again, remembering Dallon, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out the crumpled napkin.

She unfolds it, smoothing out the crumpled surface. Her curiously deepens, seeing the scrawled blue letters behind the hidden object in the cloth. She pulls out a small, silver key. She turns it over in her hands, then puts it slowly on the dresser, hearing the small click as the metal hits wood. She then pulls the napkin closer to her face to read the small letters.

_ "Meet me behind the shed at one. No questions. Use the key. _

_ -D"_

Smiling to herself, Lex folds the napkin carefully and puts it in one of the empty drawer of the side table. She shook her head as she fixed the alarm clock to set at one, turning the volume down so it wouldn't wake others. No boy had never even smiled at her before, much less asks to meet in the middle of the night. Not knowing if she should be excited or scared, Lex slides into bed, pulling the thick, white blankets over her body. Her mind is swirling, thoughts of Dallon and his ruffled hair and his freckles, and his emerald sun eyes. Despite her spinning mind, the stress of her day is heavy in her bones and as soon as her head hits the pillow, she realizes how unbelievably tired she is.

Her eye lids growing heavier, thoughts on the boy, she succumbs to sleep. As soon as she closes her eyes though, her entire world is on fire.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Pain and Darkness

The entire world is on fire. Lex was running; that's all she knows. Is she running from something? To escape the fire? She doesn't care. She just knows to run.

Everything is swirling shades of red. The forest is falling apart. Fire-stricken trees crash to the ground to perish in the crackling tomb. Flames lick Lex's flesh, but she ignores it. She doesn't have the time to stop and think about the discomfort.

With no warning, her body is plummeting to the ground. Even before she lands, the fire engulfs her. Her skin bubbles and her hair lights like dry leaves. She can't even think about getting up; her mind is screaming one word over and over. Pain.

As her body roasts on the outside, the pain destroys her brain. She no longer remembers how to talk, walk, eat. All she knows is pain. She dares not open her mouth to scream; fire would rush down her throat. She dares not open her eyes; the white globes would cook like eggs in her sockets.

Abruptly, a cool blanket surrounds her, scouring the flames that had set to her flesh. She moans as the pain decreases, wishing to wrap the blanket closer to her body. She reaches out to the relief, but finds nothing to grab onto. Her mind returning to her, she realizes there is no reasonable explanation to her rescue. She opens her eyes to find the truth, but she sees she is no longer in the burning world.

Surrounding her is utter darkness.

_Am I dead? _She wonders, peering into the darkness, looking for any sense of light and finding none. _Or have I gone blind? Is my body so badly burnt that I can no longer feel the flames?_

The swirling clouds close in on her, threatening to drive the air from her lungs. It hits her too late. She's in the Monsters grasp.

"Lex..."

Darkness. But not the darkness of The Monster. Night time darkness. Lex's wide eyes scanned the dark corners of the room hungrily, searching the corners for The Monster of the room before sitting up. The light of the moon shone through the single window, illuminating a single, rectangular patch of light on the floor of the otherwise dark room. Groggily rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Lex sat up, disturbing the tight blankets wrapped around her. She strained her eyes to read the blinking red letters on her alarm clock. 12:54, she had woken up just in time. In the dark, Lex fumbled with the intricate set of buttons on the clock, finding no success in shutting off the alarm. In the end she resorted to pulled out the plug entirely.

She pushed the thick covers off her and slid into the floor, her bare feet instantly freezing to the bone. She ignored this, sliding the key and napkin off the nightstand and clutching it tightly to her chest. She quietly walked over to the door, leaving her bed a mess. She pressed her ear against the door, listening for padding footsteps filling the empty hall. Finding none, Lex's hand moved to the doorknob. She wondered if this was when she was supposed to use the mysterious key, but she doubted Dallon was able to get the key for her room specifically. The handle turned effortlessly, rendering her queries moot. After again checking for people, Lex spun into the hallway. She stood in the middle of the corridor, feeling very small. Her ears strained for noises. Nothing alerted the soft sounds of sleeping patients, so she set off down the hall. Her feet seemed to make enough noise equal to an avalanche through the silence, despite her best efforts to be quiet. As she cautiously journeyed through the hall, she encountered no problems. _This is too easy. _She thought to herself, smiling with satisfaction. Thinking too soon, Lex heard voices and footsteps coming from far ahead. They were hushed, but they cut through the night like gun shots.

Lex pushed through the first set of doors she saw, entering a staircase. In her panicked state, she forgot to close the door carefully behind her. It slammed shut, alerting the people in the hallway. Even through the walls, Lex could hear hurried footsteps running towards her. Looking at the staircase doubtfully, Lex found herself pounding down it, travelling through the levels of the hospital. She heard people push through the doors as she had, and were soon following her down the stairs. Calculating quickly, Lex knew these people - presumably guards - would catch up with her long before she reached the bottom. She looked up at the footsteps, which were growing closer to her with every passing second. She looked down at the winding staircase, not being able to see the floor. Before she could re-think it, Lex climbed over the rails and threw herself off.

Regretting her decision quickly, Lex tumbled between the rails of the staircase, biting her tongue as not to scream out as she smashed into the bars. She knew she had only seconds to make her decision. If she continued as she was, she would untimely hit the floor hard and probably break her ankle. With a broken ankle, her chances of getting to a hiding spot were slim. If she grabbed onto a rail before she hit the ground, the worst she could come away with was a dislocated shoulder, assuming she had the strength to hold on.

Choosing the lesser of two evils, Lex stuck out her arm in blind hope. Her arm smashed against the first steel pole, pain shooting up her arm. Forcing herself to recover quickly, she against reached out her arm, and managed to hold on. She grabbed out with her other arm, pulling herself up and securing her grip on the rails, smiling in wonder that she hadn't injured herself and had had the strength to hold on. Not allowing herself to get to cocky, she forced down her pride and looked down to the ground. It was an easy drop, but then again anything seemed better than throwing yourself off a staircase.

She hit the ground running, no time for a stop to catch her breath. Again aware of the guards on her tail, Lex shot towards the exit, only to collide with it roughly. She stepped back, looking at the door with confusion and defeat, before remembering the key. Smiling again, she pushed it into the lock, praying it would open. Her prayers were answered as she spun out the door, immediately sprinting into the open field. For a moment she was not sure where she was going; her only thoughts on getting away from the perusing guards. She ran through the empty yard, head swivelling madly to find a hiding spot. She suddenly remembered the shed. Finding it quickly, she turned a sharp left and sprinted towards it.

She didn't look back to see if the guards were behind her. She didn't dare break gaze with the shed, as if afraid it would move if she broke eye contact. Finally reaching it, Lex fell hard against the wall, breathing heavily from pain and fright. She thought she was safe until she heard movement from beside the shed. She froze, hurried breath caught in her throat. She had no where to hide now. What would they do when they caught her? Stick a needle into her neck like the little boy?

Imagining the thin steel tube pushing through the flesh of her neck, a person jumped from the shadows and grabbed her. She couldn't stifle a scream. She screamed and thrashed about wildly, falling to the ground. The attacker fell on top of her, but continued reaching for a steady grip on her throat, waiting to push a syringe through it. The person, being much stronger than her, pressed his hand tight around her mouth, cutting short her howls. Eyes closed but still thrashing, Lex barely heard the person hiss "Lex! It's me!"

Shaking, she opened her eyes to see Dallon sitting on top of her, hand no longer around her mouth. Anger giving her strength, she pushed herself up, tossing Dallon to the ground. She pounced on him, throwing blind fists, none connecting enough to do any real damage. She called him every name under the moon while he blocked her punches and laughed. His laughter only enraged her more. She grabbed his wrists, digging her nails into his flesh and causing him to yelp. She pressed her face close to his and snarled, "There are people following me, you _idiot!_"

His cheery expression quickly swept from his face. A mixture between mixture and anger filled his eyes as he swore and stood up, Lex standing with him. She followed him silently as he rushed into the shed and peered through a small, grey window. She pushed her face next to his, studying the building she had burst from only moments earlier. It was a tall, brick building with an array of windows, with a slanted roof that was painted rusty green. A pretty boring building; nothing spectacular about it. A few seconds of calm silence, nothing except the pounding of Lex's and Dallon's hearts as one, both fearing for only the other. The door to the building burst open, two guards running out, looking for the mysterious girl. They could have sworn they saw someone, _heard_ someone. After studying the grounds for a few minutes, they gave up and returned inside, passing the girl off as a trick of the eye, brought on by late night delusions.

The door slammed shut, the silent noise deafeningly cutting through the night and sending air back into the pairs lungs. After a couple still seconds guarantied them of their safety, the two heads turned towards each other, grinning shakily. They soon broke out into nervous laughter, finding themselves in each others arms. But the moment passed quickly, separating them, and Lex's mind became her own once more.

They stood in awkward silence, the sudden turn of events causing both to forget why they were here. It wasn't until Lex remembered the note, still held tightly in her hand. She cleared her throat, trying to get Dallons attention. He seemed to be staring at her, or something over her shoulder. Lex looked behind curiosity, but found nothing of interest to be staring at. She cleared her throat again, a blush reddening her features, before stuttering, "You.. um.. wanted to show me something?"

Dallons face lit up with excitement, smiling widely and saying "Follow me!"

He walked over to a corner of the small shed, which Lex only thought to study now. It was hard to see in the darkness, but it seemed as interesting as the building outside the window. There were lots of stacked cardboard boxes and a few gardening tools littering the walls. Dallon pushed aside a few of the boxes to reveal a decaying, wooden trap door. He knelt on one knee, gripping the handle and grinning up at her. "Up for an adventure?"

Her mind reminded her that she hadn't even known this boy for 24 hours, and that she _probably _shouldn't be following him behind a mysterious door. Her mind also pointed out that if she turned back now, she would look like a coward. Her pride winning over her common sense, she put on a brave face and nodded, as if it was no big deal. She watched as he opened the door and disappeared into the darkness beneath.

She walked forward, slowly, cautiously, her toes teetering over the edge where the darkness had engulfed the boy. Her nightmares were turning into reality. The dark, swallowing pit was a creature itself. She almost turned back and ran to the safety of the hospital, locked herself inside the brick building where The Monster couldn't catch her. The only thing stopped her was that Dallon had now stuck his head out of the hole, full darkness from the neck down.

Lex nearly screamed.

He starred at her in confusion, not sensing her fear. "Comin?" he asked innocently, before disappearing again into the darkness. Seconds later, a single hand popped up. The hand beckoned her, leading her to the gallows. Unable to stop herself, Lex took the hand and fell straight into her own, personal hell.

Her eyes were closed tight, anticipating the impact of pain. Despite behind blind, Lex knew the darkness was surrounding her, suffocating her, daring to tear her limb from limb. She stood, shaking, alone, waiting to wake from the nightmare, for The Monster to say her name so she could escape the fear.

Only one thing.

This time, it wasn't a nightmare.

Nevertheless, her name was whispered. She almost sighed in relief, opening her eyes to signify the end of the torment, and to welcome the comforting shade of her bedroom ceiling. She instead found a candle lit face peering close to her. She yelped in surprise, her howls echoing as if mocking her. Lex snarled at the noises before noticing Dallon standing in front of her.

"Here." He sad simply, handing her something. It was a small, wooden clock with a notch carved out of it. Forced inside the notch was a small lump of wax, a small flame erupting from the center. Dallon was holding a similar one.

Suddenly perplexed by her now visible surroundings, Lex shook off the remains of the nightmare. They were inside a long, cement tunnel. The floor was flat, but the walls were rounded along with the ceiling, creating a semi circle. Lex reached out to touch the rough, grey walls, frowning in curiosity.

She walked deeper into the tunnel, holding the candle like a weapon against the darkness. As she peered forward, coming to a stop, she saw that the tunnel seemed to go on forever. She was conscious to the fact that Dallon had stepped up beside her, so she raised the question that was eating away at her brain. "Where does it lead?"

He took a step so that he was standing ahead of her, the candle illuminating his face. His features were relaxed, eyes gazing off into the darkness. For a few seconds, he didn't reply, and Lex figured that he hadn't heard her. She opened her mouth to ask again, but stopped as she heard him speak. His voice was low, airy, almost wistful. "Out."

She understood what he meant immediately. Dallon was here for a reason, she knew that much. Any kid would want out, and go to all means to find an exit. "If you know a way out, then why haven't you escaped yet?" She asked innocently.

Dallon turned to look at her. His face was dark, only half visible from the flame of the candle. It looked eerie alone, but on Dallon's usual cheery features, it looked downright terrifying. He turned back to look down the tunnel, Lex being only about to see the casted shadows. In the silence of the night, he whispered under his breath.

"And what if I'm here for a reason?"

When Dallon turned back towards Lex, his face had resumed its usual grin, all remains of the dark thoughts gone. "Wanna see what I really brought you here for?" He smiled, not waiting for an answer and walking deeper into the tunnel. Lex followed him, unable to keep away due to her curiosity.

Dallon was kneeling on the ground, his open hand touching the stone wall. As Lex neared, she saw that these walls were not so ordinary. Upon the surface were millions of drawings, colours draping the surface. The wall had exploded, the detailed paintings amazing her. She felt her hand move up to touch the surface, and her fingers came away waxy. She looked down at the base of the wall to see dozens of broken crayons laying about.

"This.. is amazing." She said, her mind scouring for a better word but coming up blank. Dallon had lit three more candles positioned around them as she had been studying the art. She heard him chuckle. "Thanks. I wouldn't say amazing, but when your world is grey you gotta find a bit of colour."

Hearing the word grey sparked a series of questions through Lex's mind. As she opened her mouth to voice him, Dallon stopped her with his hand raising. "Later. I promise." He said, as if reading her mind. "For now." He smiled, holding up a stub of a crayon.

She pushed his hand away. "No, I don't want to ruin-"

"-You couldn't." He said sincerely, pushing the crayon into her hands. Smiling her thanks, she took it and started doodling lightly on the wall. Out of the corner of her eye, Lex watched Dallon, his hands an unnatural blur as he added different layers to his stone masterpiece. His whirling arms were so hypnotizing that she almost didn't hear him say, "So you got here this morning?"

She nodded, then found herself blurting out the whole story. How when she went to bed, she thought everyone was normal. How when she woke up in the morning, her parents were missing. How the men in suits were sitting at her kitchen table. How they took her to the police station. How the officers at pestered her with confusing questions she didn't know the answers to. How the doctor had come in and asked her new questions. How she woke up here, in the hospital.

"But it's some sort of mistake." She finished, taking a deep breath. "I don't belong here; I'm not crazy!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lex immediately wished she was dead. The boy sat in silence, his hand frozen against the wall, clutching the crayon stub tightly. "Sorry." She breathed, knowing her words couldn't comfort the boy.

"It's alright." He replied quietly, but his words had a sad undertone. For a long time, neither of them said anything, they just sat in uncomfortable silence, slowly colouring on the wall. Lex's shaking hands could barely hold a grip on the crayon. She wished he would speak up so that she knew they would be okay. She didn't want the boy, the boy she had just met, to hate her.

Breaking the silence, Dallon suddenly spoke. "But you are here for a reason."

Stunned, Lex's hand slipped from the wall. She falls to sit cross legged on the ground, her jaw trembling, her mind registering what he said. Her shock quickly turns to rage. "What?!" She bellows, her voice echoing off the sides of the tunnel.

"No!" He says quickly, turning to face her. "What I meant was there's something wrong with you." Anger continues to build and Lex raises a hand, not sure if she should strike him but its certainly what she wanted to do.

"No!" He says again, exasperated. He struggled over as he tried to find words. Lex's hand lowered into a balled fist on her lap, her hands shaking with anger and hurt. Dallon took a deep breath before spitting out "Doctor Hellner gave you pills!"

Lex froze, stomach twisting. "How-"

"I have ways of finding out things Ariel." He says, a small smile returning to his lips. "Well?" He shrugs, sitting cross legged to face her fully, his head resting on his hands.

Lex turned away from him slightly, her stomach in knots. No one had ever heard of her secret. Why should she suddenly trust this stranger with it? She argued that he would probably be understanding, especially in his position.

She bit her lip. "I'll spill if you do?" She says cautiously.

She saw his jaw lock. She wasn't sure he was going to agree to her offer, but surprisingly, he muttered a quiet, "Okay." Before a more confident, "You first."

Lex nodded, taking a deep breath before spilling out her story. "I have nightmares-"

"Who doesn't." Dallon snorted, interrupting.

She shot him a glare before continuing. "I have nightmares. They are always the same.. well the endings. I've had them for as long as I could remember. I've tried medication, sleep therapy, home remedies, nothing works." She sighed, bowing her head.

"Tell me about them." Dallon said, leaning forward, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

She nodded. "The beginnings are different, but the most common thing is that I'm wandering through a forest. But really it could be anything. I'm always alone though." She said, blush rising to her cheeks. "And then...The Monster comes for me." She says quickly.

"'The monster?'" Dallon echoes.

"Yea." Lex mutters. "It's this big dark, shadowy thing. It engulfs me. Whispers my name. Then I wake up." She looked up to see him still staring at her, as if expecting more. She feels her cheeks redden as she looks away. "It's stupid." She shrugs.

"No no," Dallon says quickly, but says nothing else.

Still not facing him, Lex quickly says, "Your turn."

She senses him tense. "If you really don't want to-" She starts, feeling bad about pressuring him to talk about it. Dallon shushes her quickly, putting a finger to his own lips. Lex quickly stops, straining her ears to listen for noises. Above them, she could hear the dull sounds of footsteps, then the opening of the trap door.

Before Lex can say anything, Dallon had grabbed her by the collar and had yanked her up. As they ran past, Dallon stepped on the candles, extinguishing them. She stumbled, following him in the darkness. Suddenly, he pulls her to her knees. "Be quiet!" He hisses in her ear, pulling her into a small hole in the stone wall. It could barely fit the two of them, and Lex was sure the guards would see them.

Single lights flew down the tunnel, spinning around madly. Lex's breath caught in her throat as one of the men spun his flashlight their way. It lingered, and Lex knew that they were caught. She tensed, trying not to think about the syringe, the poison, the zombie she would become. Then, the lights left, leaving them in pure darkness.

Neither of them dared move, not all certain that they were safe. Lex realized she was sitting on Dallon's lap, her head pressed against his chest. She could hear his heart pounding against her ears. His arms were wrapped around her protectively. Lex's heart leaped, but soon she was pushed off him by the laughing boy. "That was close!"

"Yea." She said, trying to smile.

"We should probably go."

"Yea."

They travelled through the tunnel with no candle, stumbling here and there. Finally, they reached the trap door. Dallon motioned for her to be still before pushing his head up and scouting for guards. Giving her the all clear, he pulled himself up before extending a hand to her, and Lex was pulled out of the darkness.

She stood, brushing the dust off her clothes before exiting the shed. The walked quickly across the grass, knowing they were out in the open. The sun was peeking through the trees, signalling early morning. They sprinted up the stairs two at a time, reaching the floor they both were on. Dallon informed her that the girls dorms were on the right of this door, and the boys were on the left. Lex went to walk left, but Dallon followed her to the door, making sure she got there without any guards noticing.

"So.. Thanks." She said, leaning against her closed door.

Dallon furrowed his brow. "For what?"

"It's been a long time since I've had an adventure." She grinned, opening her door.

"Oh. Then no problem." He grinned. Lex stood in her doorway, waiting to watch him walk down the hall way. He didn't move.

She pursed her lips, stomach twisting again. "Well uh, goodnight. Or good morning rather." She laughed.

Dallon was leaning in the doorway, his face very close to hers. Lex went cross eyed, vision blurring, staring at his nose, which was almost touching hers. Her breath caught in her throat again, her pulse quickening.

He closed his eyes. _Oh god, this is it._ Lex though, closing her eyes too. She felt him inches away from her lips. Cool air brushed across her lips as Dallon laughed, "Good morning." When Lex opened her eyes, the hallway was empty.

Lex groaned, spinning into the room and closing the door. She stumbled to the bed, suddenly aware of how tired she was. Not even having time to think of the boy, Lex was asleep before her eyes closed.


End file.
